Coated Filaments

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a coating for a surgical suture including a vinyl lactam polymer and a lactone polymer.

1 . A suture made of a biocompatible material comprising a suture coating containing hyaluronic acid and a blend of polymers derived from a vinyl lactam polymer and a lactone polymer. 
     
     
         2 . The suture of  claim 1  wherein the vinyl lactam polymer comprises monomeric units selected from the group consisting of N-vinyl-pyrrolidone, N-vinyl-2-piperidone, and N-vinyl-caprolactam, N-vinyl methylpyrrolidone, N-vinyl ethyl pyrrolidone, N-vinyl methyl caprolactam, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The suture of  claim 1  wherein the vinyl lactam polymer comprises polyvinyl pyrrolidone. 
     
     
         4 . The suture of  claim 1  wherein the vinyl lactam polymer represent up to about 75% by weight of the blend. 
     
     
         5 . The suture of  claim 1  wherein the vinyl lactam polymer represents from about 20% to about 67% by weight of the blend. 
     
     
         6 . The suture of  claim 1  wherein the lactone polymer comprises polymers derived from monomeric units selected from the group consisting of lactide, glycolide, caprolactone, dioxanone, propiolactone, butyrolactone, valerolactone, decalactone, pivalolactone, stearolactone, palmitolactone, trimethylene carbonate and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The suture of  claim 1  wherein the lactone polymer represents up to about 85% by weight of the blend. 
     
     
         8 . The suture of  claim 1  wherein the lactone polymer represents from about 40% to about 80% by weight of the blend. 
     
     
         9 . The suture of  claim 1  wherein the hyaluronic acid represents from about 0.01% to about 10% by weight of the coating. 
     
     
         10 . The suture of  claim 1  wherein the hyaluronic acid represents from about 0.05% to about 10% by weight of the coating. 
     
     
         11 . The suture of  claim 1  wherein the hyaluronic acid represents about 0.01% by weight of the coating. 
     
     
         12 . The suture of  claim 1  wherein the hyaluronic acid comprises a molecular weight ranging from about 35,000 to about 350,000. 
     
     
         13 . The suture of  claim 1  wherein the hyaluronic acid comprises a molecular weight of about 72,000. 
     
     
         14 . The suture of  claim 1  wherein the blend represents up to about 10% of the suture coating. 
     
     
         15 . The suture of  claim 1  wherein the blend represents from about 0.1% to about 7.5% by weight of the suture coating. 
     
     
         16 . The suture of  claim 1  wherein the blend represents from about 3% to about 5% by weight of the suture coating. 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 providing a suture made of a biocompatible material;   coating the suture with a blend of polymers derived from a vinyl lactam polymer and a lactone polymer;   drying the coated suture; and   tying the coated suture into an preformed, uncinched knot.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the suture comprises a biocompatible material selected from the group consisting of trimethylene carbonate, caprolactone, dioxanone, glycolic acid, lactic acid, polyethylene, polypropylene and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the suture comprises polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the suture comprises an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the vinyl lactam polymer comprises monomeric units selected from the group consisting of N-vinyl-pyrrolidone, N-vinyl-2-piperidone, and N-vinyl-caprolactam, N-vinyl methylpyrrolidone, N-vinyl ethyl pyrrolidone, N-vinyl methyl caprolactam, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the vinyl lactam polymer comprises polyvinyl pyrrolidone. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the lactone polymer comprises polymers derived from monomeric units selected from the group consisting of lactide, glycolide, caprolactone, dioxanone, propiolactone, butyrolactone, valerolactone, decalactone, pivalolactone, stearolactone, palmitolactone, trimethylene carbonate and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the coating further comprises hyaluronic acid. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the coating further comprises calcium stearoyl alctylate 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 17  wherein drying of the coated suture is performed under vacuum at about 40° C. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the suture is tied into a slidable knot. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the slidable knot is selected from the group consisting of the Duncan loop, the Tautline hitch, the Tennessee slider, the Roeder knot, the Weston knot, the Hangman's loop, the SMC knot, the Giant knot, the Nicky's knot, the Double-Twist knot, the Lafosse knot and the Easy knot. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the suture is tied into a SMC knot. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of applying a wetting agent to the dried suture prior to cinching the preformed knot. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the wetting agent is saline solution.